Beschreibung
Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1972, 91 Seiten mit einigen Illustrationen. Gebunden Leinen.
The author of Cross and Crescent: The Story of the Crusades and other fine historical books now tells the story of the dramatic rise of Islam and its stunning impact on the western world. Islam was born one night in A.D. 610, in a mountain cave near the city of Mecca, in what is now Saudi Arabia. Today, this religion is practiced by more than five hundred million Moslems, or True Believers, throughout the world. The man to whom the Archangel Gabriel appeared that night was Mohammed, about whom not much is known. He must, however, have had a singularly compelling personality for he was regarded with awe and veneration by his followers. He was about forty years old when he went to the cave that night to meditate, and he had a vivid dream that the Archangel Gabriel recited to him the words that were to begin the Koran. Through subsequent dreams, or visions, Mohammed learned the entire Koran by heart. He had to commit to memory all that the angel told him, for he could neither read nor write. At first, Mohammed tried to make converts among the merchants of Mecca, but they scoffed at his belief in one god, Allah, and for a reason. Each year they made fortunes out of the pilgrims who came to visit the shrines of the many gods to be found in Mecca. Eventually they forced Mohammed to leave Mecca and take refuge in Yathrib, since known as Medina. It was there that he found his true followers among the nomadic desert tribesmen — the fearsome, warlike bedouins.The austerity of the religion suited them, and Mohammed, in need of money and converts to carry on his crusade, promised his followers not only an ample share of the booty but immediate entrance into paradise for any believer who was killed in combat while spreading the religion of Islam among the infidels. Islam became a fanatical religion which gained converts by the sword; and it was the fierce, simple bedouins who formed the backbone of the Moslem armies that swept out of Arabia in the seventh century and conquered an empire larger than was ever ruled by Rome. RICHARD SUSKIND was born in New York City and attended public schools there. In 1943, he joined the Army and served in the 8th Armored Division as a machine gunner in the Battle of the Bulge, in Holland, and in Germany. After the war he continued his education on the G.I. Bill at such schools as Columbia University, the University of Florence, the University of Paris, the Juilliard School of Music, and the Conservatory of Music in Paris. In 1948, Mr. Suskind served with the Israeli Army during the war for independence. He then joined the merchant marine, and in the next two years traveled around the world twice. He has lived all over the world. He spent two years in Italy, five in Paris, and seven years on the Spanish island of Ibiza, part of the Balearic group in the Mediterranean. Mr. Suskind has been writing since the age of fifteen, and his books for young people include: Cross and Crescent: The Story of the Crusades; Men in Armor: The Story of Knights and Knighthood; Swords, Spears, and Sandals: The Story of the Roman Legions; and The Barbarians: The Story of the European Tribes. Richard Suskind and his wife and son now live in Mallorca, Spain. Enrico Arno studied to become a painter at the State Academy in BerIin, Germany. During World War II, he worked in Italy, where he was active in the book field, doing illustrations and jacket designs. In 1947, he came to the United States; and since then he has taught Lettering at Pratt Institute and Design at Columbia University. He also illustrates magazines, record covers, books, and book jackets. Unwilling to confine himself to any specialty, Mr. Arno uses a wide variety of media, from silverpoint to oils and from paper sculpture to ceramics. He has illustrated many books for young people, among them, Men in Armor and Swords, Spears, and Sandals by Richard Suskind. His hobby is puppetry. Mr. Arno makes his home in Long Island, New York.
